This morning when you came to work, an odd hunched hairy fellow shoved a flyer into your hand. It offered you a free lunch at some new restaurant called "CHANGES CAFE". You never heard of it, but you've never passed up a free lunch either. So when your lunch break comes you follow the map on the flyer. You note it says valid for "Chef's Special Only". You hope it's not liver or something gross like that.
Odd the map leads you down a side street you don't recall ever noticing before. It seems to be a pedestrian only street as the exit is posted, "Wrong Way", and it appears to be a dead end street. You find yourself pressed back against the wall as of a building as a horse gallops passed you. A moment or so later an unmounted policeman dashes by after it. You chuckle, and continue toward your date with lunch and destiny.
The cafe isn't visible from the main street, but the alley way opens on to a cul de sac, and there is an old style steel dining car which has been polished up and decked out with a big "Grand Opening Banner." The inside of the shop is discouragingly empty, but then you've got an early lunch hour since you start work at 7:30 am. You glance at the posters taped up around the establishment. There are 1950's & 1960's B-Movie Posters "The Amazing Colossal Man", "The Incredible Shrinking Man", "Disney's Shaggy Dog", "I Was A Teenage Werewolf", "The Mummy's Revenge", "The Ape Man", "Dr. Cyclops", "The Island (of Dr. Moreau)", "Freaky Friday", "Bedknobs and Broomsticks", and even recent posters from "Big", "Splash" and the Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Chronicles of Narnia. You blink they even have one for the yet unfilmed book where Edmund is changed into a dragon.
You look around the empty diner, and spot some movement at the end of the counter. On the floor sits a golden retriever, noticing you he barks. There's a noise in the back of the kitchen, and the door swings open.
"Now what boss?" the voice says as the young brown haired man in a white uniform asks. Then seeing you he changes his tone, and solicitously invites you to sit. "Booth or counter, sir?"
His smile is a bit too eager, so you move away from him and the counter and take the booth next to the door.
"Here's a menu, sir!" he offers brightly handing you a sticky plastic menu.
You pull out your flyer, and ask, "What's the Chef's Special?"
"Oh, I've never had a complaint, though I haven't tried it myself. One of those, and what will you have to drink?"
"Uh, water," you answer. You figure if it's no good, you won't be out anything and can stop by Mickey D's for a quick bite.
The waiter frowns, "Water it is sir!" Then smiling brightly he disappears into the kitchen.
In about two minutes, the waiter is back with your water and a silver covered dish. He stands close to you, as he uncovers the dish, and you stare at a white plate with what looks like a lavendar colored mousse in the center of it. An orange sauce is drizzled over it and chopped herbs sprinkled on top of the whole affair.
"What is this?" you ask.
"The Chef's Surprise!" the waiter answers.
"Well, it's purple! Is it meat, souflee, fish or egg plant, or what?"
"Ah, well, you'll just have to take a bite to see, now won't you?" the waiter says eagerly rubbing his hands together.
You tentatively jab at the somewhat gelatinous glob with your spoon. And sniff it. At least it's hot, whatever it is? You scoop a small amount on the end of the spoon. You're having second thoughts, why is this place empty? Could this be like that show "Sweeny Todd", where you'd end up as tomorrow's special? Nah, you shrug it off, and taste the little bit of light purple, orange drizzled herbcovered goo.
"Mmm! It's delicious. I'm surprised you aren't packed?"
"Ah, the chef will be so pleased! Well, we just opened this morning, and you're our third customer. We don't even have any advertising, except for those few leaflets the boss distributed this morning." He nods back toward where the dog is lying chewing on a bone.
"Boss?" you ask eating another large spoonful of delicious purply goodness.
"Yeah, he's on his break now, or I'd ask him over to meet you. But you know what they say about letting sleeping dogs lie."
The dog cocks it head and growls.
Nervously, the waiter add, "That's just a joke. I'd better get back in the kitchen. Did you want anything else? Maybe a pie for dessert?"
Your mouth is full, you cannot get enough of this delicious food. The large purple mound is half gone from your plate, and you're already licking both sides of the spoon.
"More?" you ask undecidedly. All you can think about is what's on your plate, so you add, "Think about it." Your brain seems to be thinking poorly, or maybe it's just that it's obsessing with the deliciousness you're eating. You don't think you're allergic, but you are starting to feel warm all over, and you're starting to sweat profusely.
"Kinda hot in here?" you mutter.
"Is it? I'll check the thermostat," the waiter says as he
disappears into the kitchen.
No one's around, you drop your utensils and shove your face into your pureed dinner. You are voracious!